Snicker Doodles

So Mike has been requesting these tasty treats for a while and I finally gave in. I love to bake but it really only hits me in the fall time so now our house can be filled with the smell of homemade good! Once again Gabe was at Grammys house so he didn't get to play but Jace sure had fun. I have always admired mothers with the patience to let their kids help in the kitchen. So I am learning to make it a fun experience for both of us. Jace dumped all of the ingredients in after I measured them, then he was the one to turn the machine on and off.
Then the fun part about snicker doodles is rolling them in Cin. Sugar. Jace thought this part was the best. He got his fingers all sticky and spilled a little sugar, "that's ok mom, sticky. . . that's ok." He is teaching me so much patience and I am learning that sometimes I need to give in and not be the one in charge. Yes, it's ok if we spill or have sticky hands. I can clean it up later.
My challenges with a 2 year old are in full bloom. I am learning and I sure do love the little dude. I just wish he could hold off on the wine.

Snicker Doodles

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. shortening

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cream of tarter

2 1/2 c. flour

Roll in Cinnamon and sugar

Bake at 400* for 8-10 min.

Cinderella Cinderella

I made this for Amaya's birthday party tomorrow. It was a lot of fun to make and I think I got it down, so if anyone is in the mood for a princess cake give me a call! (way cuter in person)

Pumpkins

For Family night we took the kids to the pumpkin patch to pick out their favorite pumpkin. Always a lot of fun in October. I am looking forward to the good times at Thanksgiving point this weekend! We love the Scarecrow festival and the corn maze there. The whole reason for this outing was for a few pictures!

Apple Crisp

So Sunday I wanted to use up some of my yummy apples for an apple crisp. Gabe is a good helper but doesn't love time in the kitchen. With this handy device from pampered Chef he pealed all but the one apple that Jace pealed.

Mesmorized, don't ya think!

So after the apples were pealed they decided to have a tea party and dumped a box of rice crispies and raisins all over the kitchen. Can you hear me yelling, "TEA PARTIES. . . NO MORE"

Then while I was cleaning up they got my mascara out and drew all over them self. Gabe said, "Jacey helped me." Jace said, "Gabey helped me." So who is the culprit? I'd have to go with Jace.

Grandma Louders Apple Crisp

7. c. sliced and pealed apples

1 T. lemon juice

cinnamon

3/4 c. flour

1 c. quick oats

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter, softened but not melted

Mix apples with lemon juice and sprinkle with cinnamon; stir and put in bottom of 9x13 inch pan. Mix remaining ingredients together like a pastry, cutting the butter into the sugar mixture. Sprinkle over apples. Bake at 350* for 30-40 min until apples are tender and top golden brown.

Isn't that a lost art?

So my mom and I have been busy this fall as usual. Of course my mom busier than anyone because she is the little red hen. I love pears and our neighbor was giving theirs away, so my mom volunteered me to pick them and then we canned/dried them. We did a lot of peaches and tomatoes too, but for some reason this is the only batch that I was attentive to.

My mom is a superstar. My best friend who I hang out with every day. My boys love her too and always want to be at her house with out me. She is such a push over, they walk on water when Grandma's around. Everyone loves "Ma'ma."

My mom emptied bottles this year that she canned in 1980. That was the year I was born. Can you imagine pealing and bottling hundreds of bottles with 5 little kids and 1 baby? Women were made tough back then and to think that all of that hard work just got put down the drain 28 years later. oh well. Now we're onto grapes and I promise to help with that sticky mess.

SUNSHINE IN OCTOBER

Ok, so I have a new friend who is fabulous. She is such a good example to me and yesterday she brought me this flower just to "spread a little sunshine" I didn't know people do that. Such a thoughtful girl you are Mindy. Thanks for being such a good friend. I heart you.

The BIKE ride!

So if anyone is up for some fun and doesn't know where to find it, go ride your bike at the Church. Gabe and Jace think this is the coolest thing ever. We just ride around and around and around and. . . We even have a secret path to the neighborhood next door that Gabe calls the "Hole" we ride through there a lot too! It's fun exercise if anyone's up for it!

Why Gabe insists on riding this tiny bike is beyond me. He has one that fits and he tells me he wants to ride his "little bike" closer to the ground or something.
We have to teach them to wear the helmets so everyone wears them, even the trike rider!

What do you think?

For Enrichment tonight I made these cookies. Kim, do they look anything like the picture? They were quite a flop if you ask me but I put forth the effort so I had to serve them. So are they Spooky, Silly, or Stupid?

say no to drugs

Gabe walked off the bus today wearing this big paper cowboy hat that he made at school. It was red hat day and I didn't put the effort into it because it was also picture day, (I didn't want to mess up his hair!) I thought he looked so cute and I was proud that he would wear it.

What did you do while the boys were gone?

Well, I wish I could say I did something exciting. But. . . This is my dad. I miss him, he's been gone since September 1st. Every year he packs up his truck and heads out to the hills. Where are the hills you might ask? Anywhere there is no civilization! He owns land in Baker Nevada and he may be there, or Ely, or. . . no one really knows. He takes "his men" and they go off to pick the gold, (pinenuts). He lives in a tent for a few months and has his fun. Then toward the end he brings home. . .
These, beautiful jumbo pinenuts. People like them. I have had them around my whole life and I have to say, they aren't my favorite. I can eat a few if they are roasted with salt. But I only need a handful a year. I love them though because they remind me of my dad. The smell of pine gum and dust, mmmm. That is a memory I will never forget. This last weekend Uncle Larry brought home 6000 pounds of pinenuts. Some people have day jobs, some have night jobs. I have random jobs. My most important job is my family, not so random but changes every day. I teach piano every day. I mow lawns all summer/fall. I clean house for grandma every month, I cater weddings with my friend now and then, I bag pinenuts every fall. Why do I do all of these random things. Because I just do. I have done these things for so long it's just the way life is. I can blame a lot of my jobs onto my dad, but I am glad to have variety so life doesn't get boring.
So if you can tell by the picture, I bagged and boxed 312 pounds of pinenuts on Saturday night. That is what I did while my boy was gone!